Nandanar: the imagination that won over truth

Nandanar: the imagination that won over truth

 

Because I told you about Nandanar, let me tell you an episode which demonstrates how fiction and story become authoritative sources of reference, as if they are stating the facts. Several among you who know nandanar's story may now have firm belief that nandanar suffered immensely under the hands of a Brahmin landlord. In fact in the periya puranam which is the most authorative reference on all the 63 nayanmars, there is no Vedic Brahmin character in nandanar's story at all! If you see the story of nandanar which comes with the title of "thirunalai povar nayanar" in the periya puranam you will know this. He did not work under any landlord. In those, the king endowed land for all castes, who were actually practicing the profession according to their own family tradition. Such land with a proper fence is called "thudavai". Nandanar also received such as "parai thudavai" and the periya puranam story says that nandanar cultivated his own land. In those days, the untouchables used to make the products for the musical instruments (skin, string, and ropes), and sell the "gorochanai" from the intestines of cows. However, sekkizhar has described that nandanar was always thinking of the lord Siva, and nothing else. Therefore, he used the income from the cultivation for his living, and lovingly donated the skin, string, and ropes to the Siva temples for instruments (such as drums and veenas) played in the temples. He also gave the "gorochani" as his contribution for the cleansing of the lord's statue. The periya puranam only narrates that nandanar went round to many places doing such service to the Siva temples, and never indicates that nandanar was a slave tied to one place at the hands of a cruel brahmin.

 

The character of a cruel Brahmin was created by a Brahmin writer – a learned person in the last century – gopalakrishna bharati. He is a highly respected person deserving our prostrations. He is fully devoted to lord Siva. He had composed several highly devotional songs which can melt the heart of any listener. He lived a bachelor until the end of his life, and he merged with the divine on the maha Sivarathri day. He was always very kind and courteous to the poor and weaker classes. In addition, he had a great talent for drama, and to make songs that convey feelings. During his time, there were a couple Brahmins who were living in the west, and were ill treating the farmers who used to for them. However he noted that these poor farmers did not revolt against those Brahmins and accepted the suffering as their fate in life. Already bharati had keen interest in the famous "thirunalai povar" story which had the moral that it is possible for any one, born in any caste, to earn the merits of devotion to god, and go as far as the highest state of merging with the divine. He combined this elevating thought and the oppressions that he had seen, and created the Vedic Brahmin character in his drama. He created a story line that "paravai thudavai" nandanar worked as a laborer under a Vedic Brahmin, and added more scenes to the plot, and made an interesting "nandanar story" drama. Later, the performers on the ancient stories, and the followers of gandhian principles all chose to popularize this drama, to the extent that the drama story became the fact, covering up the actual story of thirunalai povar in periya puranam. This has led to a situation where the story been used to support accusations that "Brahmins are oppressors" – who quote that a Brahmin himself has written the story.

 

In those days there was a famous Tamil scholar by name mahavidwan meenakshi sundaram pillai; he occupied a distinct position among the Tamil scholars; he was not a Brahmin. Nonetheless, he did not look at people's achievements from their caste but from a neutral position. Though he was sympathetic to the imagination and the concern for weaker people, in bharathi's story, he judged that it was not correct to have distorted the original story in the periya puranam, which is considered as the most conclusive and authoritative book among all the Tamil literary works. Without knowing this matter, bharati went to pillai to get a accolade from him. In order not insult a Brahmin who had come to his house, pillai told him, "you have specially composed this as a musical, but I unfortunately do not like music. It would be more appropriate if you get accolade from some one who is well versed in Tamil, devotion to Siva as well as music," and sent him away. However, he shared his true feelings to his Tamil students, such as u.ve swaminatha iyer. That is why I am able to tell this story to you now.

 

Though bharati left that time, he went back to pillai. At that time also pillai sent him back with a comment, "as you have written this suitable for scholars as well as common people, it will automatically get popular. My accolade is not necessary".

 

Like this bharati had come back several times and once he visited pillai at noon time. At that time, pillai was resting after his meals. Bharati decided that he will wait for pillai when he gets up from his sleep; he sat down in the entrance portico. He forgot himself and started to sing the nandanar's historic songs. Pillai, who was half asleep, got engrossed in the songs that had devotion as well as good music. He also already had concerns that these songs had some grammatical errors. But when he heard the music, he felt that these mistakes are not important anymore. He continued listen pretending that he was sleeping.

 

Bharati came to the song with "varugalamo".

 

Earlier pillai had criticized that the word is not grammatically correct. In Tamil, we have varugai- pogai (means come and go), or we can use varuthal – pogal (same meaning). There are grammati-cally correct usages. Varugal is neither of these? The opening word itself is not correct. He had advised that Varalamo (can I come) would be a better word.

 

However the scene here is that nandanar is just returning after having gone far and had the darshan of the lord in Chidambaram, and is full of devotional longing for the lord. On the other hand, nandanar was thinking shyly about his low caste and if he will be able to have darshan of the lord who he had seen in his heart, at the sanctum of the temple. When pillai heard bharati sing with devotion how nandanar cried whether he will be allowed to go to the temple, and when he will be able to go there, pillai forgot all the grammatical errors, as well as the distortion of the facts of the original story. He thought to himself, "how can I turn away such as a music and devotional stalwart to make him come back" – he felt that bharati was begging to him, "varugalamo" as how nandanar was singing to the lord. Feeling sincerely for bharati he came running to the entrance, and gave his accolade.

 

"I request you not to take to heart that I had to make you come several times. Notwithstanding other matters, I noticed today that you are totally devoted to lord Siva. I discovered that you also have the ability to make others devoted to the lord. I cannot disappoint such a person. I will give you a special accolade for your work", said pillai and gave bharati his recommendation.

 

While other reviewers had praised bharati for giving a new life to the original story, pillai did not talk about that at all, but did not also say anything to contradict others' views on that matter, in his accolade. Swaminatha iyer has included this accolade in his history of gopalakrishna bharati.

 

Pillai did not change his initial opinion until the end. There was a special significance for his thinking, I now find clearly. Nowadays, people go to watch a drama or cinema to know the nandanar story. All these further endorse bharati's poems. Musical repertoires are also mostly in this category only. Those interested in the poems would naturally refer to nandanar songs of bharati, and I doubt they will turn to the original periya puranam's thirunalai povar story. Sometimes I wonder if many even know that the nandanar was the same person as thirunalai povar. I have tested this awareness also. I have indulged in casual conversations with young and old, from various castes who visit us here on nandanar. From this I found that predominantly people know the story that nandanar suffered at the hands of a Brahmin. Some think that it is a true story.

 

I wanted to show you how historical facts or the facts recorded in authoritative historical records have been erased because of stories created by later period scholars and poets who added their views to these facts (using their freedom of expression). I some time wonder that there should be rules and limitations imposed on these poetic freedom of expressions.

 

I was telling you that in the navalar's book the list of nayanmars were ordered as saivites, Brahmins, mahamatrars, kshatriyars, vaisyar, velalar and pulaiyar. From this order we can see that those not above Brahmins the mahamatrar were always above kshatriyars. Paranjyothi belonged to this clan and later was christened siruthondar.